Economy

• Wednesday, January 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean government aid for Magallanes private sector

  Almost five million US dollars in development funds were delivered last year to 519 companies in Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile, which represents a 30% increase over 2006.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay soybean area expands for eighth year running

  

  Soybeans has become the main summer cultivation in Uruguay for the agriculture year 2007/08, confirming eight years running of expansion according to the latest release from the country's Agriculture Statistics Office, DIEA.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Central bankers' dilemma: liquidity or inflation risks

  European Central Bank (ECB) chief Jean-Claude Trichet is “very satisfied” with central banks' coordinated action to help banks hit by the credit crunch. The US Federal Reserve, the ECB and central banks from the UK, Canada and Switzerland injected billions to calm money markets in December.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian auto production and exports new records

  Brazilian auto production hit 2.97 million units in 2007, up 13.9% from 2006 while domestic sales totaled 2.2 million units, which was also a record, 22.9% higher than in 2006 according to the Brazilian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, or Anfavea.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Believe it or not: Brits richer than US citizens in 2008

  United Kingdom living standards are set to overtake those in the United States this year for the first time since the 19th century, research has claimed. The UK's GDP is expected to rise to £23,500 per person during 2008, £250 more than the £23,250 GDP per head predicted for Americans, according to Oxford Economics.

• Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Cooling inflation, China's central bank main task for 2008

  

  China's central bank said it will take more steps this year to cool inflation and prevent the world's fastest growing major economy from overheating. A “tighter monetary policy” will “help prevent the economy from overheating and prevent price increases from spreading”, the central bank said in a statement last week after concluding a two-day annual work meeting in Beijing.

• Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Euro-zone inflation challenges ECB monetary policy

  

  Record oil prices and continuing high food costs kept Euro zone inflation at 3.1% in December, reported the European Central Bank (ECB).

• Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile suffers highest inflation in twelve years, 7.8%

  Consumer prices in Chile rose 0.5% in December and the annual rate reached 7.8% the highest level since June 1996 according to the latest report from the government-run National Statistics Institute, INE.

• Saturday, January 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay's IPC in 2007 reached 8.5%, highest since 2003

  Uruguay's consumer prices index increased 0.3% in December totaling 8.5% in 2007, two full points above the Central Bank's target and the highest since the 10.2% of 2003, according to the country's Statistics Institute monthly report

• Saturday, January 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Customs Code and productive cohesion in Mercosur's agenda

  

  Wrapping up the Customs Code, productive integration and advancing in trade talks with India and the South Africa Customs Union are the main objectives on which Mercosur will be fully committed until next July, announced Argentina which holds the group's chair for the next six months.